The Pop Culture Contrarian Podcast

Meta has released their new Ray-Ban Meta sunglasses. They have classic looks that easily blend in with any wardrobe, but the frames aren't the main attraction. These new glasses are equipped with a pair of cameras that can capture your life in first person, and live stream directly to Meta. They are a physical embodiment of Big Tech's increasingly overt intrusion into our lives. Join Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew as they explore the implications of this latest gadget along with topics surrounding Big Tech, personal data, and the right to privacy.

Disney has delayed the release of its "Snow White" reboot, South Park blames Kathleen Kennedy for why new Disney movies are terrible, and companies like The Daily Wire, Angel Studios, and The Blind, LLC are entering the mainstream as viable challengers to legacy entertainment. Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew explore the "Panderverse" and identify the reasons why diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has created an opportunity. Which new companies will fill the gap that woke ideology has left in the entertainment industry? Join us and find out.

Jordan Peterson has signaled the coming release of his new online academy, Peterson Academy. The current state of both public education and higher education is troubling, and alternatives seem to be gaining popularity. Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew tackle the state of education, why alternatives like Peterson Academy are emerging, and what alternative education might signal to employers in the future.

Regular people have felt drowned in the woke tide, and the water seems to have risen even faster in recent years. The mainstream seems flush with values and ideas that are totally antithetical to the fabric of traditional society. What's worse, seemingly no one has been willing to stand up to it. Are there any signs of the woke tide losing strength in spite of all this? Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew think there may be. Join us as we explore a few encouraging trends in the first episode of our PopCon culture war series.

On October 7, evil terrorists invaded the homes and towns of peaceful Israeli citizens, killing scores of women, children, and men without mercy. The event has been likened to America's 9/11, though, per capita, the scale of those killed in Israel soars in comparison. This is a cultural moment that cannot be ignored. Sterling and Andrew discuss why this horrific event is related to pop culture, the disturbing reactions on display from the Left, and how we as Americans should respond.

Many know the Robertson family Patriarch Phil from the wildly successful reality TV show Duck Dynasty. Good family values, a successful business, a hunting culture, a sense of humor, and a strong Christian faith are all tenets that have made the show so loveable. But Phil was not always the strong and morally upright character we know and love. Join us we as review his new movie The Blind, as it tells a very different story that we can all learn critical lessons from.

In "A Haunting in Venice," Kenneth Branagh stars and directs his third film rendition of an Agatha Christie book. Based on Christie's less popular "Hallowe'en Party," Branagh continues his Hercule Poirot trilogy, with many liberties taken from the original manuscript. Will this be a disturbing supernatural horror spectacle as the trailer suggests? Or will moviegoers be surprised and delighted instead? Even more important to ask: Is it woke? Find out if this is a Halloween film worth seeing, and more!

Taylor Swift, America's Sweetheart, has a new love interest — Travis Kelce, a two-time Super Bowl winner with the Kansas City Chiefs. She's dating the football star for real, like a scene from her 2009 song "You Belong With Me." Is this a genuine match, or an arrangement to result in Taylor's next breakup album? Why is American culture so obsessed with these people anyway? We'll dive into these questions and more.

We all know the comforting feelings that artifacts from the past drum up. Nostalgia is often pleasant and warm, reminding us of a better time. But what happens when it is the predominant cultural feeling, taking the place of optimism and hope for the future? We'll be exploring why nostalgia is so strong during difficult times, the ways it is showing up in our society today, and how Hollywood is exploiting this moment to insert its own ideas via nostalgic stories and characters.

Music and movies are more accessible than ever. The internet, digital media, and streaming platforms like Netflix and Spotify have made it so. But you've got to pay to play, and with recent password-sharing crack-downs from Netflix, the question of "where do we draw the line?" arises. In this episode, we'll dive into the history of digital media sharing online and the moral questions of entertainment media access.

Amid the ongoing writers' strike, the remaining feeble late-night show hosts have banded together in a podcast to try to salvage some of their relevance. Thomas and Sterling discuss why this does or doesn't work, examine how the time of late shows has passed, and discuss where to find relevant comedy today.

2023 is likely to be one of the only years with no G-rated movie releases. In this episode, the team breaks down the MPAA rating system, how it has changed over the decades, and why they think G-rated movies are no longer being made. Are we simply desensitized to inappropriate material, or is something else going on?

Hollywood writers and actors are on strike for fear of AI taking their jobs. With artificial intelligence technology rapidly advancing, do they stand a chance? In this episode, we'll explore how AI may change the entertainment industry, the concerns writers and actors have, and questions about human rights over machines. 

Oliver Anthony has captured the nation, with his original song "Rich Men North of Richmond" breaking music chart records and amassing tens of millions of views on social media in only days. Some say his song captures the frustration most Americans are feeling but don't fully know how to verbalize, while others say it's a slight against minorities and filled with right-wing conspiracies. Is "Rich Men North of Richmond" right wing?

The new "Barbie" movie is on track to be the biggest film for 2023. Feminists are touting it as "girl power" gold, while many conservatives refuse to even watch it. But is "Barbie" really so cut and dried, as it is easy to assume? You might be surprised.

Recent whistleblower accounts claim that UFOs are in fact real! Even better, it has been revealed that the US Government has known about them for decades, even possessing numerous wrecked craft and non-human biologics from them. Is this the real thing, or another distraction? What can history and pop culture inform us about the subject?

Christopher Nolan has compiled a star-studded cast in his newly released film "Oppenheimer," a story depicting the famous (or infamous) "Father of the Atomic Bomb." Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew examine the movie for its cultural significance, search for any "woke" themes in the movie, and ask the question - was Oppenheimer a hero?

In a recent bout of cancel culture, Jason Aldean's music video for his new song "Try That in a Small Town" was pulled from Country Music Television. Amid accusations of his work being "pro-gun, pro-violence and a 'modern lynching song,'" Aldean and his fans have stood up to the cancel culture mob. Join Andrew, Sterling, and Thomas as they examine the song and the video to see if it really is all the Leftmedia has claimed.

Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew discuss the current state of Streaming Services online such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ as well as how the PopCon team thinks these services will grow and change going forward.

Join Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew as they discuss Netflix's new Cleopatra "documentary", (despite some early technical difficulties) the truth of the historical figure, and why depicting the Greek Cleopatra as Black is far from historically accurate.

Join Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew as they discuss why are there so many movies still being made about the World Wars compared to other historical events. Sterling notices that Netflix has an entire category simply titled WW2 Movies, the Pop Con team dives in to explore why the World Wars still have such a strong hold on popular imagination.

*Editor's note: Sterling calls the possible invasion of the USSR after WW2 by the wrong name the actual invasion name was Operation Unthinkable.

Join Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew as they discuss their memories of Independence Day growing up and discuss the movie The Patriot!

Join Thomas Gallatin, Sterling Henry, and Andrew Culper as they introduce their new podcast the Pop Culture Contrarian! PopCon will be focused on reviewing Pop Culture through a Conservative lens to evaluate and comment on what is a worthwhile addition to culture and what is... not.